Antiseizure Medication Law FAQs

Q: Does SB 161 apply only to diazepam, or also to other medications approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this purpose?
A: The "emergency antiseizure medication" in SB 161 means diazepam rectal gel and emergency medications approved by the federal FDA for patients with epilepsy for the management of seizures by persons other than (1) a physician and surgeon; (2) a physician assistant; (3) a credentialed school nurse; (4) a registered nurse; (5) a certificated public health nurse.

Q: Will school nurses train personnel to administer diastat?
A: If a school district, county office of education, or charter school chooses to participate in a program to provide nonmedical school employees with voluntary emergency medical training to provide, in the absence of a credentialed school nurse or other licensed nurse onsite at the school or charter school, emergency medical assistance, including the administration of emergency antiseizure medication to pupils with epilepsy suffering from seizures, any training of volunteers must be done by one or more of the following: (1) a physician and surgeon; (2) a physician assistant; (3) a credentialed school nurse; (4) a registered nurse; (5) a certificated public health nurse.

Q: Should school nurses be assigned to students to administer diastat?
A: The law does not reference "assignment" of personnel to individual students. SB 161 states that, whenever possible, an emergency antiseizure medication should be administered by a school nurse or licensed vocational nurse who has been trained in its administration. A school district, county office of education, or charter school may choose to participate in a program to provide nonmedical school employees with voluntary emergency medical training to provide, in the absence of a credentialed school nurse or other licensed nurse onsite at the school or charter school, emergency medical assistance, including the administration of emergency antiseizure medication to pupils with epilepsy suffering from seizures.

See more of the CDE FAQ HERE.

Senator Huff Talks about Epilepsy in Schools

Vernon Billy of EdBrief talked with California State Senator Bob Huff regarding SB 1051, his highly controversial bill regarding the administration of the drug Diastat to students with epilepsy, the State Budget and Education Mandates. View the video of the interview HERE.